Spring-controlled vehicle-wheel link.



. H. EWING.

SPRING CONTROLLED VEHIGLE WHEEL LINK.

APPLICATION FILED ssmaza. 1909.

961,000. Patented-Mar. 1,1910;

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Fig. 2.

Witnesses; Inventor.

, Alto ne y H EWING. SPRING GONTB OLLBD VEHICLE WHEEL LINK.

APPLIGATIGH FILED SEPT. 28. 1909.

Patented Mar.1,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig. 5.

Inventor. ugh flying.

Alforney &1e sses= HUGH EWING, or COLUMBUS, 01110.

SPRING-CONTROLLED VEHICLE-WHEEL LINK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September as, 1909. Serial No. 519,954.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH Ewmtna citizen of the United Statesof America, and a resident of the city of Columbus, county of Franklin, and vState of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Spring-Controlled. Vehicleeel Links, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improvement upon the invention set-forth in my application for. Letters Patent of the United States filed December 2, 1908, Serial No. 465,738.

The specific object of these improvements is to provide ample springs conveniently and eificiently disposed for controlling the movement of the link upon its pivot.

In the accompanying two sheets of drawings which form a part .of this application-Figure 1 is a side elevation showing one form of my invention applied to the front wheel of an automobile. Fig. 2 is a section on the line IIII of Figs, 1 and 4. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the mechanism operating to permit the wheel to pass over an obstruction. Fig. 4 is a perspective of the bracket to which the wheel-link is pivoted. Fig. 5 is a section on the line VV of Fig. 6 showing my invention applied to the rear wheel of an axle-dr ven automobile. Fig. 6 is a rear view of the a plication' to the rear wheels. p

In the form of Figs. 1 to 4: is shown .a portion of the forward end of an automobile, one corner of the radiator 1, which is a part of the automobile body appearing and being supported, from the forward runn-ing wheel 2 through a leaf spring 3 which connects the body with an axletree 4 having at either end a steering-knuckle 5 lunged thereto through a vertical hinge as is usual in automobile construction. This knuckle has two arms which extend upward, encir- --cling the upper arm of the yoke, to which it roller-bearing trunnion is normally substantially over the axis of the running-wheel axle so that the link is pivoted normally substantially over the axis of the running-wheel axlel The steering-knuckle is providedwit-h a bracket 10 which serves as an abutment for a compression s rin 11. The supporting link is provide wit an arm 12 opposite the bracket against which bears one end of a compression spring 13. The adjacent ends of the two springs abut respectively against the bracket of the steering-knuckle and the arm of the supporting link. The opposite ends of these springs are connected and the springs thereby coupled by a sliding rod 14 so that they act together. This rod passes through e es in the bracket and arm and slides freely in both when the springs 0perate. The springs control the supporting link upon its pivot, and by them it is normally. maintained in its vertical position and in this position the springs are relieved from the weight of the body of the automobile. The springs oppose the displacement rearwardly and upwardly of the lower end of the link, wheel-axle and runnin wheel, and when they have been so displaced serve to return the link to its normally vertical position. Forcible impact on the return to the vertical osition after having been swung rear-war y is prevented by a buffer, which may be of any suitable character, and is shown in the form of a short, stifi' compression spring 15. The steeringknuckle carries an arm 16 which prevents the link from swinging all the way up, should the springs be removed carelessly Without jacking up the axletree.

In the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the 111- vention is illustrated with such modification as is desirable to adapt it to the rear axledriven wheels of an automobile. The auto mobile body is supported from the rear running wheels through leaf springs 17 17 Which connect the body with an axlet-ree 18. The axletrec is deflected or looped at its middle point so as to circle in front of an incased diflerential 19. An arm or post 20 is carried by this looped portion of the axletree and from its upper end the forward side. of the. differential is supported through a pivoted link 21. The running wheel axles 22 are carried in sleeves 23 23 extending Patented Mar. 1, 1910.

from the difierential. Near the outer ends of the sleeves are ball-and-socket joints, the ball in either case being attached to the sleeve, and the incasing socket being a portion of the corresponding link 24. This permits'either wheel to be retarded independently of the other Without twisting or straining the links. The upper ends of these links engage trunnions 25 25 at the upwardly turned ends of the axletree. On each side of the vehicle at the angles where the ends of the axletree are turned upward are formed brackets 26 26.- Each bracket serves as an abutment for a compression spring 27. The supporting link is provided with an arm 28 opposite the bracket, and a sliding rod 29 passes freely through eyes in the bracket and arm and connects the outer end of the com pression spring which bears against the the supporting link and maintain it normally in a substantially vertical position with the trunnion to which the link is pivoted substantially vertical over the wheel axle. A short stifl' compression spring 31 is placed between the arm and bracket and acts as a buffer. The functions of the several springs are the same as that of the corresponding springs which control the supporting link for the forward .Wheel. In addition, this form includes a more limber spring 32 which is designed to yield more readily when the link is first displaced rearwardly by reason of the wheel striking an obstruction, but to yield only through a short distance when the convolutions come together and .throw the strain entirely on the heavier springs. When either wheel is rearwardly displaced the connecting wheel axles are carried back 4 angularly and the differential is displaced rearwardly by half the amount. To permit this the suspension above described is provided, and the shaft 33-tl1rough which power is communicated to the differential is provided with universal joints 34 35 at, two

points along its length, the lower end of which is also extensible.

, The operation of the invention is as follows. NVhen the vehicle is moving forward rapidly and one of the wheels strikes an obstruction, as a stone in the road, that wheel is stopped momentarily in its forward movement, but, by reason of the swinging link connection. the vehicle-body continues 'lorward unchecked and without appreciable .jar being communicated thereto while the wheel displaces with respect to the body, first rearwardly and horizontally, and then, following a curved path, rises without lifting the vehicle-body and passes over the obstruction. The springs connected with the link then return the parts to their normal position and the butter arrests them without jar. These springs may be placed either above or below the Wheel axle, the higher the are placed the shorter and stiffer they wil have to be.

With this invention heavy loads are more easily started, since the vehicle-body can move forward and acquire momentum before the wheels need to move, and an obstructed wheel will rise over the obstruction without lifting or stopping the vehicle.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United St ates, is

1. In a vehicle, the combination of a wheelaxle, a body, a supportin link for the body carried upon the whee -axle, the link being pivoted substantially vertically over the wheel-axle, a pair of springs disposed on opposite sides of the link by which the link is normally maintained in its vertical position, a bracket suitably mounted for resistin the thrust of the springs, the adjacent ends of the sprin s abutting against the link and bracket, an a sliding rod for connecting the springs, substantially as described.

2. In a vehicle, the combination of a wheel-axle, a body, a supporting. link for the body carried upon the wheel-axle, the link being pivoted substantially vertically over the wheel-axle, a pair of s ringls disposed on opposite sides of the linli w mally relieved from the'weight of the body for controlling the movement of the link upon its pivot, a bracket suitably mounted for resistin the thrust of the springs, the adjacent en s of the springs abutting against the link and bracket, and a sliding rod for connecting the springs, substantially as described.

3. In a vehicle, the combination of a wheel-axle, a body, a supporting link for the body carried upon the wheel-axle, the link being pivoted substantially vertically over the wheel-axle and permitting the wheelaxle to displace along a rearwardly and up wardly curving path when a wheel strikes an obstruction, a air of springs disposed on ich are nor-" opposite sides ot't ielink for opposing the disstrikes an obstruction, a pair of springs dissponding f ofward displacement of the link, posed on opposite sides of the link for 0pposlng the displacement of the link, a

bracket suitabl'y mounted for resisting the Signed at Columbus, Ohio, this 15th day of September, 1909.

thrust of the springs, the adjacent ends of HUGH EWING. the springs abutting against the link andl \Vitnesses:

braeket, a sliding rod for connecting the ALICE B. Coon, springs, and, a bufier for preventing cone H. ENGLISH.

substantially as described. 10' 

